Shock-absorbing steering-knuckle for automobiles.



J. F. GRABILL.

SHOCK ABSORBING STEERING KNUCKLE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I6. 1911.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

El" uantoz JOHN FGKHBILL U NITED sTA'rEs PATEN OFFIOE. Joint r. emmn, or .rrona. rumors 1,249,616. r I awmw mmn smut Patented Dee-11,1917; Application m Iay 10,1917. Serial No. reams.

To all'whomz'tmay concern: any suitable 'form, and 11 designates gen- Be it knownthat J 01m F. Gnannm, a erally the steering knuckle, which comprises citizen of the United States, residing at an outer casing 12 havinga stub 13 pro'ect- Flora, in the count of Clay and State of ing therefrom upon 'w ich the whee is 5 Illinois, has inven certain new and useful adapted to be mounted in the usual manner.

Improvements in Shock-Absorbing Steer- This outer casing has a flat inside wall 14 ingl-Knuckles for Automobiles, of which the and lateral walls 15, which curve inward at f0 owin is a specification, reference being their lower ends defining a slot 16 adjacent had to e accompanying drawings. 4 the lower end of the casing. The upper and 10 This invention relates to automoblles, and lower ends of the casing are formed with particularly tothe steering knuckles thereof. bolt-holes 17 for the passage of a central The general object of the invention 1s to bolt. provide a a combined shock absorber and Disposed within the casing 12 and movasteering knuckle, and to this end to provide blelongitudinally therein is a sliding block 15 a steering knuckle and an axle having slid- 18 provided at its'upper andlower ends engagement with each other and rovide with outwardly projecting ears 19 perfoshock absorbing springs disposed wit 'n-the rated for the passage of a pintle; The lower knuckleyand between the sliding member ear 19 projects out through the slot 16 and connected to the axle and the knuckle. is guided by the walls of this slot. In plan,

20 A further object is to provide a constructhe ends of the sliding member 18 have ap-. tion of this kind which maybe readily taken proximately the same form as the cross secapart for repair or replacement of the tional form of the casing 12 so that the springs and in which the springs may be member 18, while'vertically slidable in the readily oiled.- casing, cannot rotate therein. At its upper 86 Another object is to provide a construeend, the slide 18 1s provlded with an in tion of this. character in which the steering wardly estendlng annular flange 20 and knuckles are connected by a connecting rod with a springlseat 21 above this flange.v The,

in. addition to the usual reach rod which slide18 is ollow for the reception of, a

connects the steering knuckles to thus sesingle or a double relatively heavy coil $0 c'urestcadiness of movement for the knuckles. ring. I have illustrated two coil springs A further object is to provide a construc esignatedrespectively 22 and23, but it will n tion of this character in which the wheels be understood that for l ht cars, .a single are disposed at a greater distance from the spring will be suflicient. ecoil springs22 pivotal center of the knuckle so as to perand 23 bear against the lower end 0 the 85 mit the wheels to revolve when the car is casin 12 and 'sposed between the slide, 18'

standing still, instead of sliding. andt e u per end of the casing12'is a sin A further object is to PIONldG a'shock glepr a ouble'eoiled spring. Two coiled absorb' knuckle which will thus take the sprm have been shown, designated 24 and strain 0 of the axle and make the axle less 25. hese coil springs 24 and 25, however,

40 liable to bend. are lighter than the coil springs 22 and 23.

Other objects will appear in the course Passing longitudinally through the casing of the following description. 17 and through the coil springs and through My invention is illustrated in the accomthe central 0 ening 26' defined bythe flan panying drawings, wherein v 20 is abolt 2 having a head at its outer en 46 F1 re 1 is a topplan yiew on the forthe lower end of the bolt being-screw-threadwar axle of an automobile showing my imt ed for engagement by a nut 28 proved knuckles. applied thereto; over the top of the casinghl'l andextending Fi 2 is a front elevation of a steering down over t-he'iront of t e is a cap knuc le constructed in accordance with my 29 of sheet metal, formed with a ongitudi- 5 50 invention nally extending slot 30 disposed in aline- Fig. 3 1s a vertical sectional view on the ment with the-slot 16 and practically formline 3+3 of Fig. 2; ing a continuation of this slot. The uppervFig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of most 1ug 19 slides in this slot 30.: This cap 2. extends over the top of the casing 12 and 55 eferring to these drawings, 10 designates formed with an aperture for the passageof the axle of the automobilewhichmay beef the; bolt 27. The sides of the capwm also formed with apertures'throu h which screws these sudden jars and joltsand thus reduce 31 may be inserted to hold t e cap in posithelikelihood of the parts of the engine tion upon the casing 12, the casing 12 being shaking loose. I also formed with screw-threaded apertures aving described my invention, what I to receive said casing. Thus the cap is made claim is readily removable. The head of the bolt 27 1. A shock absorbing knuckle for vehicles fitsover the top of the cap. comprising a casing having an axle spindle The side walls of the casing 12 are formed extending therefrom and aving a vertical with perforations 32 preferably screwslot, a sliding member entirely housedwiththreaded so that oil on 33 may be conin the casing and having a lug extending nected to the side wa s to lubricate the outward through the slot, an axle ivotally spring and slide. connected to the lug, and springs gieldingl he casing 12 on one side wall is formed resisting the vertical movement 0 thesh with the outwardly projecting lug or stud ing member in opposite directions. 34, which is bifurcated for enga ement with 2. A shock absorbing knuckle, comprising a connecting rod 35 having angfiar extremia casing having a vertically extendin slot ties36 connected to. the stud 34 by means and formed with an axle spindle, a s lding of a pintle 37. This connecting-rod 35 exmember mounted within the casing and havtends over to the corresponding stud 34 on ing lugs extending outward through said the o osite knuckle and preferabl is disslot w ereby the sliding member may be pos ibrward of the pair of knuck es. Exguided, springs disposed between the upper tending rearward from the side Wall of the and lower ends of t 'e casing and the slidm casing 12 are a pair'of lugs or studs 38 and member and resisting movement of the sli 39, each of which is bifurcated, these studs ing member, and an axle pivotally connected being disposed 1n divergent relation to each to the lugs of said sliding member. other and one of these studs being adapted 3. A s ock absorbing knuckle comprising to be connected to a steerin rod .40 and the an outer casing havin an axle indle exother to a reach rod 41. t will be und ertending therefrom an formed with a lonao of the machine has a stud 38 engaged by the adapted to be connected to the steering gear steering rod but no stud engaged by the of a vehicle, a slide mounted within the casreach rod. a ing and havin outwardly dprojectin lugs, 'The axle 10is connected to the cars '19 'an axle pivota y connecte to the igs, a by means of a pintle bolt 42 and preferably bolt passin longitudinally throu h the '35 bushings will be disposed around this pintle casing and t rough said slidlng mem r and 1 bolt 42 and through the lugs 19 and preferguiding it, and springs surrounding the bolt ably the bolt wil be a ubricating bolt, and disposed between the ends of the slidthough this is not shown. ing member and the adjacent ends of'the he advantages of this construction recasing and yieldin 1y resistin longitudinal 0 side in the fact'that the xi'ar communicated movement of the sliding member. 10

from the wheels to the a' e is cushioned or 4. A'shock absorbing knuckle compris' absorbed at the .point of connectionbea casin having a bottom and a top w tween the knuckles and the axle so that and sidg walls, the lower ends of the side the axle is subjected. to less strain and Walls extending around the front of the 5 will notbe. so readil bent or broken. casing and being formed with a vertically 11 The rings above and below the slide tend. disposed slot, a cap extending over the top to reflhce and cushion the movement of the of the casing and down the front thereof axle in either direction relative to the wheel. and formed with a longitudinallyextending It will be seen that the slide is guided verti slot, a sliding member mounted within the cally so as to keep the splrin straight and casing and held from rotatable movement 1 take the strain-oi; of t e olt that goes and having lugs extending out through the through the absorber. These shock absorbslots in the cap and the casi a boltpassers Will take the strain ofl of the regular ing longitudinally through t e casing and springs and ofl' of the axle and, .furtherthrough said sliding member and on which more, as the wheels are disposed farther the sliding member slides, and springs sur- 1: away from the pintles 42, the wheels will roundin said bolt and disposed between the not slide as they do now when the machine ends of t e casing and sai sliding member, is steered clear around to start it.- This said casing being formed with a steering shock absorber will act to save the tires also am and an axle spindle. so and the casing or cap 29 will revent the -5. A shock absorbing knuckle comprisin access of dust to the interior of t e casing. a casing having a bottom and a top wall an 'It will furthermore be obvious that this side wa Is, the lower ends of the side walls shock absorber will take of the sudden" jars extending around the front of the and jolts from the engine and reduce the and formed with a vertical] extent to which the engine is shaken by slot, a cap extending over the top of th ing and down the front thereof and formed with a longitudinally extending slot a slidin member mounted within the caslng and he d from rotatable movement and having lugs extending out through the slots in the ca and the casing, said sliding member beingv hollow and formed at its upper end with an annular flan e, a bolt passinillongitudinally throu h t e casing and t rough the sliding mem er a spring bearin at its upper-end against the top 0 the casing and against the annular flan e, a spring bearing against the lower end 0 the casing and extending into the sliding member and bearing against said flange, an axle pivotally connected to said In and a steering rod operatively connecte to the casing.

6. A shock absorbing knuckle for vehicles comprising a casing having an axle spindle extending therefrom, a slidin 7 member F. E. Gomsnr, C. O. Broom. 

